Shades of Green
by Cassadiller
Summary: (Working Summary) Everyone knows the infamous Gangreen Gang, but how well do we really know them? How did they all meet? Why did they become evil? Were they always the green meanies that we know and love? How did they even become green? This is their story.
1. Prologue

_Okay, so crappy summary aside, this story is basically a Gangreen Gang origin story, which was originally intended to be a fancomic. However, I found writing it out to be much easier for my current schedule, along with some other benefits. :) This story may be a bit dark and emotional, with some violence, mentions of abuse/neglect, and character death. Obviously, this is all my own headcanon. So if you don't agree with something in this story, all I ask is that you respect that. ^^ There is also a fancharacter in this story, but I hope this doesn't deter anyone from reading... No pairings are intended, but there is quite a bit of focus on Ace and Snake's (non-romantic) relationship._

_...I'll let you guys get to the fanfic, now.  
_

* * *

**May 18, 1990**

It has come to my attention that a very puzzling event has happened in the city of Townsville; one that has been left with very little explanation, and without a doubt has left a negative imprint on all who were affected.

When this event first happened, no one –not even myself- knew what to think of it. All we could gather was that over the course of several years a handful of newborn babies had possessed sickly green skin and abnormal features that varied for each individual, ranging from subtle fangs and odd eye colors to downright inhuman appearances. Despite all this, every affected baby was perfectly healthy, which was perhaps the most perplexing factor. Equally perplexing was that there were no prior events concerning the parents that could have led to a common cause. Not consuming certain foods, not the side effect of medication, not even exposure to radiation was shared among them.

Much to the parents' dismay, the only explanation they could receive was that their children were born with an extremely recessive and drastic mutation of their genetic makeup.

Upon further research, I have discovered that Townsville was not the only location where this had happened. I have uncovered articles and scientific journals documenting children with green skin being born across the world. Interestingly, they were not all born within the same time period; in fact, I remember reading one article that dated back to the nineteenth century! However, it was such a seldom occurrence and in so few numbers at a time that it's not surprising many people were unaware that this has happened before. In fact, I was surprised this condition even had a name, albeit an unofficial one: the Scheele Phenomenon. The name was coined by two scientists who were once in charge of researching this strange occurrence. They named it after the infamous Scheele's Green, a highly toxic arsenic compound with a yellowish-green color very similar to the skin of those affected by it. They were under the impression that exposure to Scheele's Green was the cause of the mutations, but again, this was not consistent among all who had a green child. Unfortunately, the scientists could not uncover anymore information than what I have written here, and the project was discontinued.

Given that their appearances are...below normal standards, victims of the Scheele Phenomenon have lived a less than peaceful life. Of the documents that I have found, only a handful ever made it to adulthood; the children were either killed shortly after birth or died from other means later on. Regardless, they all suffered from hate and fear from those around them. Abused, neglected, tormented, ostracized…many of them grew up to be the very evils that they were presumed to be as kids. I remember reading one document about a Scheele victim who was absolutely ruthless, and committed numerous crimes and murders in his area. He was a real monster, but it was painfully obvious that the people had molded him that way. Sadly, that's how it's always been with humans; they fear what they cannot understand, and from that fear stems hatred on both ends.

However, for every set of cases, there are always those few exceptions. Recently I had the opportunity to meet a Scheele victim myself. I never quite got a name, but he referred to himself as "Mr. Green." If I didn't know any better, I would have said that those articles had false information; despite his eccentricity, Mr. Green was one of the kindest souls I have ever had the pleasure of meeting! He seemed a bit surprised at first that I was willing to talk to him, but quickly warmed up to me, though he did seem a bit apprehended from time to time. I suppose it was just a deep-rooted reaction to being around a normal person. He told me that he used to work as a substitute teacher a few towns over, and that once they got past his appearance, the kids loved him. And although he does enjoy helping them in their academic learning, Mr. Green told me his favorite part of the job was teaching the kids that people like him are not monsters, and that they should be treated like any other person. He hopes that Townsville's students will be just as accepting.

Sadly, cases like Mr. Green's are a very rare outcome for those affected by the Scheele Phenomenon. There was no doubt that Mr. Green had suffered his fair share of hard times, but he somehow managed to maintain a positive disposition and remain trusting of people. As I strive to gather more research on this mysterious condition, I can only sincerely hope that those Scheele children of Townsville will end up down this same path.

But knowing the Scheele Phenomenon's dark history, it will be nothing more than a hopeful vision.

-Professor James Utonium


	2. Chapter 1: A New Face

_One more thing I should mention. In this fic, and in future GGG-centric fics, I will be writing the dialogue of the gang members similar to how they talk in the actual show. For example, Ace will be "talkin' like dis," and Arturo will have a bit of Spanish thrown into his sentences at times. I do this for characterization purposes, and I hope it doesn't bug anyone too much. I try to make it so that it's still legible..._

* * *

"So dis is what the dumps look like..."

Standing before the Townsville Dump, clutching the chain link fence with uncertainty, was a little boy no more than eight years old. At first glance from behind, he seemed like a perfectly normal little boy; shaggy black hair that could use a trim, and ruffled, dirty clothing that may have been the result of a few scuffles. But upon closer inspection –especially from the front– it was clear the child was definitely the contrary.

The most striking feature was the sickly green complexion that covered his entire body. A tiny, juvenile fang poked out from the small frown on his face. Large, innocent eyes were tinged pink in the sclera, but they could not hide the torment that their owner had endured.

He peered up at the towering trash heaps. He had found it, the only place he knew would guarantee him sanctuary. Nobody ever came here. And if they did, it was only to get rid of unwanted junk, and then it would be empty again. It smelled really weird, but here he wouldn't have to deal with anymore hateful sneers or malicious bullying.

It was perfect.

Curiosity and hope now filling his spirit, the green-skinned youth slowly swung open one of the rusty chain link doors, which creaked in protest at being moved, and quietly slipped in between the two large gates.

Once he placed the noisy gate back where it was, all of the curiosity dissipated into that uneasy feeling again. The child looked around. He knew that this was supposed to be a safe haven for him, but he didn't really know _what_ exactly lay ahead. Something may already be living here, like mean junkyard dogs, or some other homeless kids that were normal-skinned. They definitely wouldn't let him stay, then…

_Well, I won't know 'til I look..._ the boy thought to himself. And with that, he mustered up the courage to begin walking into the maze of trash piles.

He marveled with odd curiosity at what he was seeing. Tons of tin cans with various labels –most of them empty- were strewn across the walkway and up and down the piles of junk. Said piles of junk contained everything from tattered toys to refrigerators, as well as some objects he didn't know the names to. Bits of broken glass dotted the area, the sun reflecting off of them and making everything glimmer and sparkle as he walked; it reminded the boy of a Christmas tree. And there were so many cool things just lying around! Bicycles and couches and...was that a car?!

"Hey kid."

The boy was so lost in awe, he was startled back into reality by the sudden voice. The stern undertone brought back the uneasiness with a vengeance; that tone was never a good sign. He cautiously turned around, anticipating the worst to come.

He saw a scrawny young girl...not quite was he was expecting. She appeared to be only a few years older than he was, and was sitting with one leg crossed over the other on a washing machine a few feet away, as if she were expecting the boy to show up. Resting on her shoulder was a bent up golf club that clearly has seen better days, the handle leisurely grasped in her hand. Her dark hair was short and choppy, as if she had cut it herself, and was adorned with a simple purple headband. Uneven bangs hung just above her eyes, which were scanning the boy as if he were a science experiment. However, none of these observations were what caught his attention.

"Well, ya gonna say somethin'?" she barked, making him flinch a bit.

"You…yous got green skin!" he finally exclaimed, pointing a finger towards her incredulously.

The girl's frown softened into a smirk. "Why're ya actin' like a normal person? Ya know your skin's green, too, right?" she retorted.

For some reason, the green boy felt embarrassed that this girl had to point that out for him. He didn't like that feeling.

"'Course I do!" he shot back, "I just thought I was the only one..." He shuffled his feet a bit, small clouds of dusty orange earth trailing across the surface with each movement.

For a split-second, her smile softened even more into something more comforting before slipping off the dingy old appliance and sauntering towards him. As she came closer, the boy got a better view of what she was wearing: a stitched up blue dress with a pink shirt underneath. In the center of the dress was a pocket with a heart patched onto it, which had been resewn down the center at some point. On her feet were a mismatched pair of tattered socks and scuffed up buckled shoes.

"Well it looks like ya got some learnin' to do," she said as she stopped just at arm's length before extending her hand out to him. "Name's Maria."

Being unfamiliar with such a gesture, he shook her hand weakly. "Ace. My name's Ace."

Maria smirked again. "'Course it is." Before Ace could defend the credibility of his own name, she asked, "Ya came here lookin' for a place to live, didn't ya?" There was the slightest hint of sympathy in her voice.

Ace was a bit taken aback at how quick she caught on. "Yeah, how'd ya know?"

"Another kid did the same thing; he had already made himself at home here when I got back from a food run," she replied matter-of-factly. "Speakin' of which, you should probably go meet the other two, since you'll be stayin' here and all. C'mon." she lightly motioned the golf club to signal to Ace to follow her.

As they walked further into the dump, Ace couldn't help but feel relieved. Sure, this Maria girl seemed kind of bossy, but at least she was green like him, and she was even letting him stay with her and those two...

It was then that Maria's last statement finally sunk in.

"Wait, there's others?"

* * *

_Before anyone says anything, I also apologize in advance for potential OOC-ness. It seems weird now, but I have all the personalities for the characters planned out, and they will be explained in later chapters. But for any OOC-ness that I somehow don't explain...yeah, I apologize for that._


	3. Chapter 2: Why Did It Have To Be Snakes?

It was hard to believe that there was actually some form of a house in the middle of a dump, of all places. But sure enough, this is where Maria led him, and where she was apparently living. She claimed the rickety old shack used to be where the garbage workers would take breaks, but it hasn't been used in years. Ace couldn't blame those garbage workers. The place was a small and stuffy single room, with only a couple of dirty windows to let in sunlight. The wood was beginning to show signs of rot in some places. What little furniture there was, was dragged in from the dump. Ace wrinkled his nose at the acrid smell of it all and made a small grunt of disapproval.

"Yeah, you get used to it," Maria said, even though it sounded like she was still trying to convince herself of that statement. "Those other two must be outside somewhere," she then said casually. "Let's go find them." She turned to exit the wooden shack, with the younger boy right behind her, eager to get out into the fresh air.

As soon as they exited a shrill laugh could be heard. Maria took an immediate left, almost causing Ace to lose his balance trying to follow the sudden change in direction. As they walked, the sound of tin cans softly clanging and trash rustling seemed to be following them. Ace was uneasy as to what the source of the noise could possibly be, but the girl in front of him remained unfazed, so he stayed quiet.

That is, until something green with bulging eyes shot out of the trash pile beside him and blew a loud raspberry right in his face.

"Waagh!" Ace yelped as he stumbled backwards, landing flat on his bottom in the dirt. He looked up in shock at his attacker, who was now blowing more raspberries in quick succession. Somehow, Ace understood this to be laughter.

He was indeed green, just like him and Maria, but he looked so...different. For one, Ace wasn't imagining those bulging eyes; they were actually sticking out of their sockets! The boy was wearing what used to be a nice dress shirt and khaki pants, but now have become grimy and lightly tattered during his days in the dump. He had jet-black hair that was as grimy as his clothes, as well as a long pink tongue that seemed unable to fit in his mouth. Said tongue flailed about with every raspberry blown.

"Eheheh, you a-scared another one, nice!" Another voice laughed, the same shrill laugh from before. Ace and Maria turned their heads in time to see a smaller child bounding around a trash pile towards them. Ace gaped at how tiny he was; he couldn't have been bigger than a basketball! The green child was clad in a simple red shirt and overalls, and had a rather prominent underbite for someone so young.

The tiny kid came to a stop as his eyes fell upon Ace, looking at him in confusion. "You're not _un gato..._" he said to himself. His voice was high-pitched and thick with a Mexican accent. "Maria, who's this?"

"Just a new addition," she replied. Maria turned towards the green boy behind her, who was now dusting himself off, and motioned with her golf club as she spoke. "Ace, this is Arturo."

"_Hola_, Ace!" The little green boy waved and flashed a grin.

Maria then gestured to the odder-looking boy. "And the one who made you scream like a little girl is Grubber."

"Hey!" Ace shot back at her. Once the girl stopped snickering, he faced the hunchbacked youth. "'Grubber's a kinda weird name."

"Nah, that's just his nickname," said Arturo. "His real name is really long and hard to say."

To prove his point, Grubber raspberried what sounded to be a long jumble of syllables that made Ace's head spin. It was almost like a tongue twister! Maybe that's why that kid's tongue is so long.

"Oof, yeah, 'Grubber' doesn't sound so bad, now..."

"Told ya." Arturo shrugged.

Ace looked around. "So uh, what was yous guys doin' out here?"

"Just playing with some of the cats. They're really fun to scare!" The smaller boy waved his arms in zest, as if doing so was a measurement of how much fun it really was. "They sound a lot like how _you_ scream when ya scare 'em!" Ace huffed as the sentence ended with more snickers.

"Looks like we have our own little scaredy cat!" Maria teased.

"Nuh-uh! I ain't no scaredy cat! And I don't scream like one, either!" Ace would have said more, were it not for a small brown serpent that he spotted out the corner of his eye, slowly approaching his foot. Out of reflex, he screamed again and ran behind Maria. He immediately cursed himself as the other three kids now roared with laughter.

Grubber rasperried something in between gasps of air. Arturo giggled in response before calming down enough to speak.

"Grubber's right, Ace. These guys don't even bite or anything!" For reassurance, the Hispanic boy knelt down next to the tiny snake and lightly poked its back. Its body scrunched up in response before quickly slithering away. "See?"

Ace frantically ducked back behind his living shield as the snake retreated past him.

Maria smirked at him. "So you're a-scared of snakes, too?"

"Well y-yeah. I mean no!" The green boy scurried from behind her at this. Maria couldn't help but giggle at this kid's attempt to salvage his pride. It was cute.

"I ain't a-scared! I...I just don't like 'em, is all. The way they move, and their eyes...it's really freaky-lookin'!" He held his arms up and wiggled his fingers to emphasize how creepy they were.

"So you _are_ a-scared, then!" Arturo exclaimed, and the trio burst into laughter again.

"N-no, I...ugh." Ace just groaned in exasperation, his cheeks steadily becoming redder by the second. "A'right, quit it!" He finally barked out. He didn't like it when people laughed at him. The brief silence was then interrupted by a low grumble. "Um, yous guys got anything to eat?" He asked timidly.

"'Course we do," said Maria. "Ya think I just make ya guys eat the trash? It's all back at the shack. C'mon."

"Aw, but it smells bad in there!" Ace whined.

"Then don't eat," Maria simply said as she walked off, Arturo and Grubber following along.

Ace groaned again. "Fine, wait for me!"

* * *

As they left, no one noticed a lone figure concealed in the towers of clutter. Cautiously peeking out from behind a pile of assorted rubble –ever so careful not to nudge anything out of place- the figure overheard the entire conversation. Dejected, he slunk back into the depths of the dump. He was so hopeful that he could finally be with others like him, and he had finally worked up the courage to show himself. But that one kid...

"_I ain't a-scared of snakes, I just don't like 'em...They're freaky-lookin'!"_

The small figured sighed, struggling to prevent a hiss from escaping. Even with his own kind, he wouldn't fully belong. He didn't want to cause anymore problems. He's done enough of that already...

So the lonely little figure sulked off, wondering where and when he would ever find acceptance.


	4. Chapter 3: The New Guy

_Alrighty, I want to apologize for taking so long to update. I already planned out everything for this chapter in my head...I just had no idea how to begin it for the longest time. And then my job has been really exhausting for me lately with the (sort of) new department I'm in, and then I needed time to ease into my new school schedule._

_But to make up for that, here is a super long chapter that hopefully covers all of that time that I should have been writing! XD I hope you guys enjoy, and I apologize again!_

* * *

He never thought he would say it, but Ace has never felt happier living in a dump. It's only been a few days now, yet Ace felt like he's been living here is whole life. Of course, he had Arturo, Grubber, and Maria to thank for that. Without them, it wouldn't have been as easy for him to settle in. Maria had given him a grand tour of the place while the other two boys tagged along to keep him company, which Ace was grateful for. Even though this was his new home, he could only find hundreds of similar-looking trash heaps interesting for so long.

The green child now sat on a rusty length of a large pipe, watching his new pals fool around with some trashed devices whose names he did not know. He smiled fondly at the thought of spending all of his time with other green kids. For the first time he actually felt like he belonged somewhere. Things were so much better here than they were back at his old home!

There was just one little problem...

Ace's smile faltered and he glanced over to Maria. The girl was turning over tin cans with her foot, contemplatively bouncing that golf club on her thin shoulder.

He couldn't figure out why, but Maria continued to act aloof when around him, much like how she acted when they first met. Everyone else has warmed up to Ace almost instantly, and as far as he knew, he hadn't done or said anything to upset her. But for some reason, that girl would only answer in simple words or sentences whenever he tried to talk to her; the kind of answers that sufficed as a proper response, while effectively ending the conversation. Ace had tried many times, asking questions and agreeing to whatever she says, but all attempts ended the same way: being dismissed by the same simple answers and left wondering what he could possibly say next.

His pink eyes wandered back over to the two younger boys. Surely they have seen how Maria acts towards him, yet neither of them seemed to notice it as strange. Maybe this is a normal thing for her? Maybe it's because he's the new guy? No matter how much Ace racked his brain for a logical answer, he came up with nothing. Maybe he would ask Arturo about it later, seeing as how he's been with her the longest...

"Hey, quit spacin' out like that. You're freakin' me out."

Ace blinked his thoughts away at the nonchalant voice, and then jumped at seeing Maria right beside him. "_You're_ the one who's freakin' _me_ out!" Seriously, when did she come over? How long was she standing there, watching him while he was deep in thought? He fidgeted a bit at how strange that sounded, but he also felt relieved that Maria was actually here talking to _him_. It was a rare occasion when Maria initiated the conversation, and despite her abrasive nature, Ace really enjoyed it when he didn't have to try extensively for her attention. Every other time was reminiscent of how much effort he put into getting his own mother to even _look_ in his direction.

She merely shrugged in response and leaned on the battered golf club, turning her head to watch Arturo and Grubber. The green boy was beginning to think he just ruined his chance to talk to her, when she finally spoke up. "So why arent'cha out playin' with the others, Scaredy-cat?"

Ace stiffened. That was another problem. Ever since the snake incident, Maria had dubbed "Scaredy-cat" as his new nickname, and it never failed to irritate the boy. "I told ya to quit callin' me dat," he grumbled and folded his arms, resigning himself to a pout.

The girl turned and gave a devious smile. "Sorry, kid. It's my rules here."

This got Ace's attention, and he turned to face her. "'Your rules'?" he asked accusingly.

Maria dragged the head of her club around in the dirt as she spoke. "In case ya haven't noticed, I'm the one in charge around here, so I make the rules. And my rules are that I can call ya whatever I want."

"B-but dat ain't fair!" Ace spluttered, throwing his arms down for emphasis. "And how come _you_ get to be in charge? I mean, you're a girl, and girls – Ow!"

A sudden sharp pain interrupted him, and his hands immediately flew to the top of his head. He looked back up in time to see that golf club return to its spot on Maria's shoulder.

"So what if I'm a girl? Girls can do things just as well as boys can." She puffed out her chest as she spoke. "And for your information, not only am I the oldest, but I found this place first, so that makes me in charge." She lightly poked the boy in the chest with the head of the club, as if assuring her dominance.

Ace quickly swatted the metal club away. "Dat still ain't fair, though!" He yelped as Maria bopped him in the head again, and he hunched over in pain.

"Yeah well, life ain't fair. That's why all of us are livin' out here." She replied, her tone becoming more somber with her last statement, eyes downcast.

Ace growled while he tenderly rubbed the crown of his head. Just who did this girl think she was, smacking him around like this? He was glad none of the girls treated him like this during the very brief time he went to school. He didn't need to be further humiliated by the fact that he was beaten up by a girl.

Once his vision stopped swimming, he looked up to see Arturo and Grubber happily rushing over to join in on the conversation. Ace sighed, thankful for the distraction.

"Hey, hey Ace!" Arturo cried out, his shrill voice merciless on Ace's throbbing headache. "You gotta see this cool thing Grubber can do; it's so weird!" He exclaimed with glee, hopping from one foot to the other. Meanwhile, Grubber just stood still with a vaguely smug look on his face.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Ugh, this again."

Ace gave a small shrug. "Uhh, a'right sure," he replied, not really expecting anything spectacular.

Suddenly, Grubber began to forcibly straighten out his hunched and disfigured body. He grabbed his chin and pushed it upwards, as if he was trying to remove his own head! All the while there was a horrible cracking sound of bones and joints snapping out of place, or rather _into_ place. The silence in the area made the sound almost deafening.

Arturo had a triumphant grin on his face, while Maria wore a completely deadpan expression. Ace, however, was growing more and more horrified at what he was seeing, his headache completely forgotten. His jaw dropped a little more and his eyes grew a little wider with every jerking contortion that his friend was subjecting himself to.

Finally, the horrible snapping and popping stopped, and there stood someone who couldn't possibly be Grubber. But it had to be Grubber, considering that Ace had been gaping at him with eyes wide open the whole time. The boy's spine was erect, his eyes fit perfectly in their sockets, and there was no waggling tongue or slack-jawed smile. If it weren't for the green skin and ratty clothing, he could pass for a normal little boy.

"Hello there, Ace," the boy spoke, a lighthearted English accent dancing across his voice. "What do you think of my new look?" He smiled at the older boy, obviously pleased with himself.

Ace was completely at a loss for words. He could speak perfectly normal, too?! He wondered what other talents this kid was hiding. Grubber was starting to pique his interest more and more every day.

Before Ace could even blink, Grubber's body had retracted to its former, disfigured self, and he finished it off with a triumphant raspberry from his overextended tongue. Once, that happened, both he and Arturo burst into laughter. Maria rolled her eyes again, but this time let a small smile find its way to her lips.

Ace's shock finally was replaced with enthusiasm. "Dat was so cool!" he laughed. "Do it again!"

"Eh, maybe in a little while," Arturo replied. "It hurts his back and neck every time, so he doesn't do it too often." Grubber nodded his head in assurance. Ace could swear he saw the hunchback child wincing with each movement of his head. He nodded back in understanding; it sure sounded painful…

**"WAAAHHHHH!"**

Everyone nearly jumped out of their green skins at the sudden, echoing cry. The sound reverberated off the tin cans and glass shards throughout the dump, making it last longer than it actually did.

"What the heck was dat?!" Ace asked incredulously. They all turned in the direction of where they believe the sound came from.

Grubber blew a raspberry in response.

"Yous think it's a m-monster?" he asked with uncertainty. He really hoped that wasn't it.

"It might be!" Arturo piped up. "We hear these really weird noises sometimes deep in the dump, like something is searching for us. Some days we'll wake up and find some of our food missing from the shack, and I keep tellin' Maria that it's the Dump Monster!" He waved his arms about enthusiastically. Maria rolled her eyes with a "tch", obviously not believing any of this.

"And sometimes," he continued, creeping closer to Ace with a sly grin, "if it's really quiet, you can hear a scary hissing sound, which it makes right before it eats you. So if you hear it, ya better run!"

Ace tried to hide his trembling. Great, not only was there a monster running around the dump, but it very well may be a giant snake monster! Maybe living here wasn't a good idea after all...

"Arturo, quit freakin' him out. We don't need him becomin' Super Scaredy-cat," Maria said sternly. At this point it was obvious the Hispanic boy was just trying to scare him. She clapped a hand on Ace's shoulder, surprising him out of his thoughts. "Don't listen to 'im. Arturo likes to exaggerate a lot." Ace could sense a bit of sincerity in her voice, like she was reassuring him. "Besides," she removed her hand, "everyone knows that monsters can't cry, so it's obviously not a monster. We're gonna check it out." And with that, she began walking in the direction of the sound. Ace didn't have much time to try to wrap his head around that logic, as he wanted to keep up with everyone else. If Arturo _was_ telling the truth, he definitely did not want to become easy prey for the Dump Monster.

* * *

After a while of weaving through trash piles and relocating the right path after following echoes, the small group found themselves at the entrance to the dump, and at the source of the loud cries. Right outside the gates was not a monster, but a child. A rather large child, about a head shorter than Maria. He was curled up in a ball and openly sobbing, hugging his knees. Not much of his face could be seen, due to his striking red hair covering his eyes.

"It's another green kid!" Ace exclaimed. Indeed, this boy's skin had the same shade of green, just like the rest of them. He couldn't believe it, it seemed like there were so many of them just running around Townsville. How come Ace never saw any of them?

"Is he okay?" asked Arturo.

"I dunno," Maria replied, a mix of curiosity and concern flashing in her eyes. She pushed the old metal gate open and approached the sulking figure. "Hey? You okay, kid?"

The green boy let out a surprised sniffle and cautiously lifted his head. Upon seeing a girl standing over him, he gasped softly and for the moment had gotten over his sadness. He sat up straighter to get a better look at her, while she stared back in return, waiting for his next move.

_Guess he's never seen someone else with green skin before, either,_ Ace thought. He wondered if he looked as silly as this kid did when he first saw Maria.

After a seemingly long pause, the boy thrust a chubby finger in Maria's direction and broke into a large grin, his bucktooth clearly visible. "You gots freckles just like me!"

The other boys felt their jaws drop. _That_ was what he was so surprised about? Did he even notice that she had green skin as well? If this kid was able to somehow see past his hair and notice freckles, then clearly he had to have noticed that her face was green, too!

Maria was just as taken aback as they were, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The rest of the group had similar surprised reactions when they saw she also had green skin, so she was naturally expecting it to happen here. "Uhh, yeah. I do." She cleared her throat and recomposed herself. "So what's wrong, kid? Why were ya out here cryin'?"

And just like that, the smile was wiped off the larger youth's face. He burst into tears again. "I...I can't find my mommy and daddy!" Despite his size, the way he talked indicated that he was just really big for his age.

The older girl shuffled her feet a bit. She hated seeing kids like her cry; it made her uncomfortable. "Well, where did ya last see 'em?" She knew it was a lost cause, though. Given that the kid possesses green skin and a monstrous size, she could already tell where this was going.

He spoke after another pause, fiddling with the hem of his shorts. "I... We was at da park. And then they drove off without me. Dahh...I think they forgot I was still playin' in da sandbox, but...they n-never came back ta get me." He paused again to wipe his face from behind his hair. "I tried ta walk back home, but everyone ran away whenever I tried ta ask for help. A-and n-now I'm lost, and I st-still can't find them!" The boy whimpered and tried his best to not break down again.

"Oh..." was all Maria could say. As she expected, his parents "accidentally" left without their son, with no intention of getting him back. They've left him to wander the streets, confused and heartbroken, and forced to face the harsh world all alone. She tightened her grip on her golf club at the thought of it. It was a foregone conclusion in the case of green-skinned children, but it still infuriated her. She could only hope that those so-called "parents" never crossed paths with her.

Her thoughts were broken by more sniffling. She sighed inwardly. This poor kid doesn't even realize that he was abandoned. Or maybe he does, but just refuses to accept it? Either way, it's not something he needs to hear right now. Calming down, she knew what she needed to offer him.

"Well...what's your name, kid?" Hopefully changing the subject a little will ease his mind.

"Dahh...Billy. But...everyone calls me Big Billy." He stated the last part with slight confusion, as if he could never figure out the reasoning behind the nickname. It was quite amusing how dim-witted Billy was.

Maria managed to suppress a snicker, though it turned into a rather awkward look of feigned confusion. "Really? I...can't imagine why." She gave a small laugh as if scoffing the one who came up with his nickname. "Well anyway, Big Billy...if ya want, you can stick with us until ya find your parents." She gestured with her free hand back to the three younger children, who then slipped through the gates and walked up to greet the newcomer.

Big Billy stood up and looked back to his savior. "Really?" he asked, ready to tear up again. When Maria gave him a confident nod, he grabbed her in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Big Billy will do anything for you guys!"

"Yeah great, now could ya lemme go?" she wheezed out. This kid was incredibly strong! If he squeezed any tighter, her ribs might just break! Maria had a feeling that he didn't know his own strength, much less how to _control_ it. They were going to have to work on that later.

"Dahh, sure, Boss!" Billy opened his arms wide, leaving Maria to fall rather clumsily on the dusty orange ground. Meanwhile, Ace quietly snickered at the scene. As mean as it may have sounded in his head, he thought of it has some sort of payback for whacking him with that golf club.

Once she was done gasping for breath, she slowly stood back up. "You don't hafta call me 'Boss,' y'know. Name's Maria." She held her hand out as a friendly gesture.

"Oh, Maria!" He began to lunge at her again in glee. Maria immediately brought her hand back and stepped away.

"On second thought, 'Boss' works too, if ya really wanna call me that," She blurted out. The girl found it odd that someone so childish as him would refer to anyone as his boss, but as long as she wasn't subjected to anymore "hugs", he could call her whatever he wants. She could hear Ace's stifled laughter, and her eyes narrowed at him to hide her embarrassment.

Maria then felt something tug on her dress, and glanced down to see Arturo. "Maria, are we gonna have enough food for all of us?" he asked innocently. The smallest child didn't like to judge, but the size and girth of their new addition implied that he ate a _lot_. Would Maria be able to handle it?

She began to brush the dust off of her dress, the worn blue fabric resurfacing. "I was actually just about to discuss that. We're runnin' low, anyway, so I need to go on a food run tonight. Scaredy-cat, you're in charge while I'm gone."

Said boy's laughter abruptly stopped and he almost choked. "W-wait, what?"

"You heard me. You're gonna look after everyone while I go get us food." She fixed her unkempt hair and adjusted her headband as she kept giving instructions. "The food's stashed in the closet, behind the boxes. There should be enough for all of ya for tonight."

"But wait -"

"Make sure ya show Big Billy around the dump and get 'im settled in. If he needs somethin' to sleep on, there's plenty of beds and couches lyin' around out here." She finally retrieved her trusty golf club from the ground and thrust it at the group of boys like an extended finger. "And _no one_ leaves the dump - no ifs, ands, or buts. Got it?" Her stance and tone radiated a sternness that a parent would enforce on an unruly child.

It finally occurred to Billy what was happening. "You're leaving, too?" he asked with a hint of sadness. He didn't want to be left behind again, especially after this girl was being really nice to him. Did he do something to make her want to leave?

Maria's gaze softened at that "too" in the larger child's accusation. She lowered the club and sighed. "No, Billy, I'm not leavin' like _they_ did." It angered her that he would even compare her to those people, but at the same time it couldn't be helped. "I'm just goin' out to get us more food, and I'll be back in the morning. I don't have a reason to leave ya, so I'll be back. I promise." She flashed that same comforting smile she gave Ace when he discovered there were other green-skinned people besides him. The earnestness in her eyes suggested that her statements were directed towards the entire group, not just Big Billy.

Either way, the redhead smiled in relief, satisfied with the girl's response.

"Besides," she continued, "you won't be by yourself, ya got the others here that'll be your friend." "Friend", huh? Even after all this time, the word still sounded foreign to her.

"Fr...end?" Billy announced the word slowly. Apparently, it was foreign to him, as well.

"Right! And since Scaredy-cat here's in charge, he'll help ya out."

"Woah wait, hold on!" Ace finally butted in. "First off, you really gotta call me dat when introducin' me to others? I don't want him callin' me dat, too!" He stepped closer to Maria. "Second of all, why do I hafta be the one in charge? I thought dat was _your_ job!"

The older girl nudged him back with the metal club. "I already told ya this. I can call ya whatever I want. If ya don't want Big Billy callin' you Scaredy-cat, then make sure ya properly introduce yourself." She raised the head of the club slightly and he immediately covered his head; he would be ready this time. To his relief, nothing happened, but he saw her walking away.

"Hey, yous never said why I'm in charge!" he barked.

She turned her head and gave him a smirk. "I trust that you can handle it. Now, stay in the dump!" She extended her golf club to them again, as if she would start prodding them like cattle. Reluctantly, Ace motioned for everyone to enter through the gates. Once the squeaky, half-hinged door was dragged back into place, Maria nodded in approval. "I'll be back in the morning." She turned away, and sauntered in the direction of the nearest city street.

The newly promoted leader grasped the chain link fencing on the door as he watched that girl continue walking away. An odd mix of frustration and fascination flurried around inside of him, as if battling to see which would overcome the other.

"Don't worry about her, _amigo_. This is the best time for her to do this."

Ace turned around, still keeping a hand on the gate. He saw Arturo smiling up at him. Grubber and Big Billy, however, were nowhere to be found.

Luckily, the petite child knew the answer. "Grubber's gonna show Big Billy around the dump before it gets too dark." He walked up to the chain link fence and wrapped his fingers around individual links, like Ace was doing before. He glanced out to where Ace was staring. Sure enough, Maria was out there ducking into alleyways and behind dumpsters as she ventured further into Townsville. The evening setting truly offered her plenty of shadows to work with. "She kinda threw ya into that one, huh?" he laughed softly, referring to his new position as leader of the group.

"I just don't get it," said Ace as he clutched the fence again. "Why would she pick me, of all people? I've never been a leader of anything before. The kids at school wouldn't even lemme be team captain at recess!" he huffed; he still never forgave those guys. "Besides, isn't it _her_ job? Why is she the so-called 'leader' if she just passes it on to someone else?"

"If it makes you feel better, it's only for tonight," Arturo giggled. His friend could really get worked up over little things sometimes. "Grubber and I had to do the same thing as you. She actually switches between us every time to make it fair. Next time, Big Billy's gonna be the leader for the night." He then had a mental image of all the possible things that could go wrong with the dimwitted child calling the shots. He shook the thought away. "Okay, maybe not Big Billy..."

The Hispanic boy interpreted Ace's silence as that his question remained unanswered, so he continued, "This is her own little way of teaching us how to take care of ourselves. She told me she starts with small things, like leaving us here while she goes on food runs. Then move up to things like finding useful stuff in the dump and self-defense. And then finally, we'll be doing food runs of our own someday!" Ace turned and looked at him quizzically. "Maria says it's important that we know these things as soon as possible, so that we can handle lots of stuff when we grow up," Arturo stated. "She always says, 'I'm not gonna be around forever!' or something like that." He said, and proceeded to mimic Maria's voice and hand gestures for emphasis, which got a laugh out of Ace.

"Dat's kind of a dumb reason," Ace finally said. "Still though, she probably shouldn't have left right after dealin' with Billy. You shoulda seen the look on the poor kid's face!" Or at least, what could be seen of his face.

"I agree with you on that one, _amigo_." The petite one nodded. "But she didn't have much of a choice. We're low on food as it is, and now with another kid with us, we woulda definitely run out." He nudged the taller boy to get his attention. "Did you know that when it was just me and Maria livin' here, she would leave me by myself on food run nights?"

"Really? Werent'cha scared?" He definitely would be. He noticed that the piles of trash can cast some sinister shadows in the moonlight, and if there really is a Dump Monster lurking in the place…

"_Sí_, _muy asustado_." Ace had no idea what was said, but he figured it was a "yes." "I was also pretty mad the first time she did it. But after a few of those nights, I noticed something in her eyes; it was there every time she told me she'd be back in the morning. She wouldn't show it, but I could tell she hated to leave me, and it's been that same thing for everyone else. After that, I wasn't so a-scared anymore, because I knew that _she_ didn't wanna be alone as much as _I_ didn't wanna, so she'd always come back." He smiled pleasantly at his explanation. "I know it's hard to tell, but Maria does care about all of us, a lot."

Ace turned his attention back to the ground. "If dat's the case, then why does she pick on me so much?"

Arturo made a soft noise in understanding. "It's not really 'picking on you,' Ace. Maria's lived by herself for years, so she has a hard time sharing her feelings and thoughts with others, especially new people. She acted the same way with Grubber and I when we were new here. She means well, she just shows it the only way she knows how, the rough n' tough street way." He lightly punched Ace's leg a few times in enthusiasm. The taller boy sighed. This kid has way too much energy...

"I know you probably feel like Maria doesn't care, but she does." His eyes darkened for a moment as he spoke. "You may already know, Ace, but Townsville isn't very nice to kids like us. People have tried to hurt us before." He shuddered at the memory of his first encounter with Maria. Had she not come along, those bullies probably wouldn't have stopped until... "Anyway, being all bossy and stuff is her way of making sure we stay safe. And believe me, Grubber and I have gotten plenty of hits from that golf club of hers." He pointed to his head proudly, treating it like it was a badge of honor.

_So I ain't the only one, then._ Ace thought to himself.

"Or," Arturo drawled, lips curling into a sly grin, "Maybe she likes you."

"Ack, Arturo!"

The smaller child cackled in laughter. "I'm just sayin'! Y'know how girls are, _tan confundiendo_!"

Ace stifled a growl. Girls would either ignore him or bully him, but he was fairly certain it wasn't because any of them thought he was cute. Why should this be any different?

"But hey, we should get back to the shack and make sure the other two are okay, _señor leader_." Ace nodded in agreement. As the pair began to head back, Arturo couldn't help himself, and piped up again with, "Ya wouldn't wanna make your girlfriend mad, right?"

"Cut dat out!" the older boy barked. He walked faster to avoid the little green pest, but he would find Arturo next to him again within seconds.

"Ace has a girlfriend~!" he sang rather loudly.

"Stop it, Arturo! Dat's gross!"

"_Dos niños estan enamorados_~!"

"Girls have cooties!"

The two of them carried on like that the whole way back to the shack. The sun was slowly dipping behind the tall skyscrapers of Townsville, its warmth leaving the children's backs. Soon they would be welcomed by the cool, gentle breeze of the night sky.

* * *

_muy asustado = "very scared"_

_tan confundiendo = "so confusing"_

_Dos niños estan enamorados = "two kids in love"_

**...**

_Arturo is such a devious little munchkin!_

_I know, there's a _lot_ of Maria/Ace interaction going on here, but she'll be gone for the next chapter or two, so just bear with me. XD I plan on focusing more on Ace's interaction with the rest of the future Gangreen Gang in the coming chapters. I also want to give a big thanks to my friend Amnie (chibimajik on dA) for proofreading my story and correcting my Spanish. ^^'_

**Review Response Time!**

**ElectricSnowman: Thank you so much! It actually makes me really happy that my story has sparked your interest in the Gangreen Gang. :'D They're quite an interesting group, if you really think about it! I will definitely be continuing this story, and I am looking forward to writing the rest of the members, especially Snake! ^^**

**Nicky0: Yup, that's me! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the time nor energy to work on the comic anymore, so I've converted it into fanfiction. It has proven to be easier, since I'm writing stuff for classes all the time. But I do plan on drawing some of my favorite scenes in the future. ;)**

**crazy girl: I'm glad you like my story, and I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. I hope this super long chapter will make up for that! Glad you like it, though!**

_Anywhosen, I'll be finishing the next chapter tonight, and I will try to post the final draft sometime next week. If not, maybe the week after, we'll see how my classes treat me. ;)_


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